US-12628106-B2 - Timing error handling in telecommunication systems

Abstract

The present subject matter relates to a method for operating a node of a communication system. The node is configured to support wireless backhauling in the communication system and support wireless access in the communication system. The method comprises: receiving from a node first data on a backhaul link and second data on an access link, determining transmit times of the first and second data using the received first data and second data, determining a timing error using the determined transmit times.

Inventors

• Bartlomiej GOLEBIOWSKI
• Man Hung Ng
• Toni Harri Henrikki LÄHTEENSUO

Assignees

• NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20221014

Priority Date

20211022

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving from a node first data on a backhaul link; receiving from the node second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first data and second data using the received first data and second data; and determining a timing error using the determined transmit times.
2. 2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first data comprising a first reference signal and the second data comprising a second reference signal, wherein the first reference signal and second reference signal are transmitted on a first time unit of a first time slot and a second time unit of a second time slot respectively, wherein determining the transmit times comprises: determining a time shift between the first time unit and the second time unit; and shifting the transmit time of the first data or of the second data using the time shift resulting in one shifted transmit time of one data of the first and second data and one unshifted transmit time of the other data of the first and second data, wherein the timing error is determined using the shifted transmit time and the unshifted transmit time.
3. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first data comprising multiple first reference signals and the second data comprising multiple second reference signals, the transmit times comprising multiple first transmit times of the first reference signals respectively and multiple second transmit times of the second reference signals respectively, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform: determining individual timing errors between received pairs of first and second reference signals; and using the individual timing errors for determining the timing error.
4. 4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first reference signal spans a first number of time units within the first time slot, wherein the second reference signal spans a second number of time units within the second time slot, wherein the first number is the same or different from the second number.
5. 5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the time shift being a time difference between a time unit of the first reference signal and the corresponding time unit of the second reference signal.
6. 6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second reference signal being a demodulation reference signal (DM-RS), wherein the first data is transmitted according to the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) type A or PUSCH type B, wherein the second data is transmitted according to the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) type A or PDSCH type B.
7. 7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first data and the second data comprise first user data and second user data respectively, wherein the first user data and second user data are randomly generated.
8. 8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the random generation is performed utilizing a Pseudo-Noise (PN) sequence generator wherein the same sequence is used to generate both the first user data and second user data.
9. 9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein different cell IDs are used for the transmission of the first data and second data.
10. 10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein different terminal IDs are used for the transmission of the first data and second data.
11. 11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform: determining whether the timing error exceeds a predefined limit.
12. 12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first data and second data being simultaneously transmitted.
13. 13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining the transmit times comprises performing a first transmit timing measurement of the first data and a second transmit timing measurement of the second data and comparing the first and second transmit timing measurements.
14. 14 . A method, comprising: receiving from a node first data on a backhaul link; receiving from the node second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first data and second data using the received first data and second data; and determining a timing error using the determined transmit times.
15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , the first data comprising a first reference signal and the second data comprising a second reference signal, wherein the first reference signal and second reference signal are transmitted on a first time unit of a first time slot and a second time unit of a second time slot respectively, wherein determining the transmit times comprises: determining a time shift between the first time unit and the second time unit; and shifting the transmit time of the first data or of the second data using the time shift resulting in one shifted transmit time of one data of the first and second data and one unshifted transmit time of the other data of the first and second data, wherein the timing error is determined using the shifted transmit time and the unshifted transmit time.
16. 16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first data comprising multiple first reference signals and the second data comprising multiple second reference signals, the transmit times comprising multiple first transmit times of the first reference signals respectively and multiple second transmit times of the second reference signals respectively, the method further comprising: determining individual timing errors between received pairs of first and second reference signals; and using the individual timing errors for determining the timing error.
17. 17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first reference signal spans a first number of time units within the first time slot, wherein the second reference signal spans a second number of time units within the second time slot, wherein the first number is the same or different from the second number.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the time shift being a time difference between a time unit of the first reference signal and the corresponding time unit of the second reference signal.
19. 19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the transmit times comprises performing a first transmit timing measurement of the first data and a second transmit timing measurement of the second data and comparing the first and second transmit timing measurements.
20. 20 . A non-transitory computer program product comprising instructions for causing an apparatus for performing at least the following: receiving from a node first data on a backhaul link and second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first and second data using the received first data and second data; and determining a timing error using the determined transmit times.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION This application was originally filed as PCT Application No. PCT/EP2022/078694, filed on Oct. 14, 2022, which claims priority from FI application No. 20216104, filed Oct. 22, 2021, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD Various example embodiments relate to telecommunication systems, and more particularly to a method for operating a node. BACKGROUND 5G refers to a new generation of radio systems and network architecture. 5G is expected to provide higher bitrates and coverage than the current long-term evolution (LTE) systems. Integrated access and backhaul (IAB) is one of the key work items for 5G. However, there is a need to improve the operation of IAB nodes. SUMMARY Example embodiments provide a method for operating a node of a communication system, the node being configured to support wireless backhauling in the communication system and support wireless access in the communication system, the method comprising: receiving from the node first data on a backhaul link; receiving from the node second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first data and second data using the received first data and second data; determining a timing error using the determined transmit times. Example embodiments provide a method for operating a node of a communication system, the node being configured to support wireless backhauling in the communication system and support wireless access to user equipments in the communication system, the method comprising: receiving from the node first data on a backhaul link; receiving from the node second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first data and second data using the received first data and second data; determining a timing error using the determined transmit times. Example embodiments provide a method for operating an IAB node, the method comprising: receiving from the IAB node first data on a backhaul link; receiving from the IAB node second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first data and second data using the received first data and second data; determining a timing error using the determined transmit times. Example embodiments provide a computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus for performing at least the following: receiving from a node first data on a backhaul link and second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first and second data using the received first data and second data; determining a timing error using the determined transmit times. Example embodiments provide an apparatus comprising means being configured for: receiving from a node first data on a backhaul link and second data on an access link; determining transmit times of the first and second data using the received first data and second data; determining a timing error using the determined transmit times. According to an example, the first data comprises a first reference signal and the second data comprises a second reference signal. The first data may be transmitted in a first time slot and the second data may be transmitted in a second time slot. The first reference signal may be transmitted on a first time unit of the first time slot and the second reference signal may be transmitted on a second time unit of the second time slot. This may provide a pair of time slots to be processed, namely the first time slot and second time slot. The processing of the pair of time slots may enable to determine the transmit times of the first data and second data, wherein determining the transmit times comprises: determining a time shift between the first time unit and the second time unit, and shifting the transmit time of the first data or of the second data using the time shift resulting in one shifted transmit time of one data and one unshifted transmit time of the other data, wherein the timing error is determined using the shifted transmit time and the unshifted transmit time. If for example, the first time unit and the second time unit do not have the same position within the time slot (e.g., the first time unit is the first symbol and the second time unit is the third symbol), the time shift between the first time unit and the second time unit may include this time difference between the two positions. If in addition, the slot number of the first time slot and the second time slot is not the same, the time shift between the first time unit and the second time unit may additionally include a time shift that represents the difference in slot numbers of the first time slot and the second time slot. Thus, the method may, for example, comprise determining the time shift and using the time shift for the timing error determination, in response to checking and thus determining that the positions of the first and second reference signals are different and/or the slots numbers of the first and second time slots are different. If for example, the first